Just went to the Blacktail website and fell in love with seveal bows. I'm looking for peoples opinions on them and by that I mean how they shoot, which seems to be a nicer bow to shoot one piece or takedown?

beauty speaks

max

True they are beautiful but just like women some times the pretty ones are just nice to look at and that's it.

Beautiful, and shoots as good as they look!

I knew you guys weren't going to be any help, I feel like there will be a new bow in my future though I think I'll start with a used one first.

works of art....excellent shooters....a bow to keep for a lifetime.

keep em sharp,

ron herman

blacktails are works of art and fine shooting bows.

The one piece and TD shoot are very close on on all counts someone wants to measure a bow by.The TD is probably a little heavier in the hand.I got a 64 inch one piece and 62 inch TD.

I would lean toward a longer bow if you buy one.Or maybe a TD with 2 sets of limbs.One shorter and one longer.

I will priobably get a set of 66 inch limbs for this TD

I like an Astoflight string on these bows in 8 or 10 strand.Man do they shoot beautiful with these strings.

Definatly a bow of heirloom quality to hand down someday to your son or grandson.Or just get buried with it.

Super good looking and shooting bow - Norm Johnson is a master at his craft. Expect a wait of about 12-14 months for delivery.

I have two 66" Blacktail take down recurves and these are the only trad bows I now own. The grip on both bows fits my hand like a custom glove. Both bows hit where I look at 10, 15 and 20 yards. They are very quiet upon arrow release. My 42# bow is so quiet with the 2117 aluminum arrow I shoot out of it, it doesn't have any string silencers on the bowstring. Easy to tune since they're cut 3/16" past center. The only bows where the bowstring never hits my arm so I don't have to wear an arm guard. My first Blacktail took 13 months for delivery and the second one took 15 months for delivery. They are worth the wait. One quirk about my Blacktails, they love a heavy arrow. I'm shooting over 15 grains per pound on both of them. My present setup for each of them is below.

Blacktail TD Recurve: 66", 42# @ 30". BS: 14StrDyna97. BrcHt: 7 7/8". NP: 5/8". Arrow: 32", 2117. PW: 205 Grains. AW: 642 Grains. GPP: (15.28). FOC: 15.7%

Blacktail TD Recurve: 66", 37# @ 30". BS: 13StrDyna97. BrcHt: 8.000". NP: 5/8". Arrow: 32", 2114. PW: 200 Grains. AW: 570 Grains. GPP: (15.40). FOC: 17.3%

I've owned a one piece 60" Bear Super Kodiak, a 64" Bob Lee Signature TD and a one piece 68" Belcher Longhorn so I can compare the Blacktails to any of these bows. This is why I no longer own these bows. Everybody is different and a Blacktail might not be for everyone, but they are for me.

I own both. You can't beat a t/d if you plan to travel. If travel is not problem i think the 1 piece is hard to beat. A little lighter in overall mass weight and one of the best shooting recurves out there. Blacktails have the most repeatable grip of any bow that i have shot. As for looks, Norm's bows are unequaled in my opinion. Customer service is also top notch with Norm....Charlie

Great shooting bows. I am very happy with mine.

Dave

I have been very impressed with the ones I have seen and shot. Almost wish I had known about Blacktail bows before I got my Bighorn.

Well it sounds like an easy decision. It looks like the one piece has a little Super Kodiak design going on or is that just me? If anyone has pics they are willing to post I would appreciate it.

Mine's 62" one-piece. Send getting it, I've sold all my other bows. The Blacktail is perfect in every way.

They look and shoot good. I will treasure mine always.

I have a one piece recurve. A very pretty bow but I'll take the smoothness of my Palmer. Dick

Dick it's funny that you brought up Palmer I had one made back in 93 and shot it maybe 200-300 times in fact it's been sitting in my closet for the last 10-15 years any way I broke it out a few weeks ago and after switching to a B-50 string I came to the conclusion that it's probably the best shooting bow I have it only took me 17 years to figure it out. But that Blacktail looks too good to resist.

I have shot more bows than I can remember and I love Blacktails, very smooth and quiet, also Norm is great to deal with I have 2 and one on order.

this one is for sale to make room for the one on order

I hope this works. This is a photo of my 66", 42# @ 30" Blacktail.

Hogdancer I know I just made you an offer of a trade for it.

Trying it again.

Since this site doesn't have a preview pane, how does one post a photo from Photobucket?

Actually it's real easy if you have the pics on your computer you just browse for that file let's say in your My Picture file and attach it.

I think Norm the best recurve on the market today. He makes a grip that is so easily referenced in the hand time after time. They shoot and draw smooth. They are obviously a work of art too. He really cares about building the best bow he can and it shows! He is a great guy to talk with and very helpful in the process. Order one, I promise you won't be sorry...well, maybe you will after your 3rd or 4th order! haha

This is his "Snakebit". I ordered it with wenge footing instead of ebony. I really like the burgundy red color of the wenge with the snakewood.

Hogdancer - now you got Snag looking again....he is a sucker for a Blacktail bow that is for sale *smile*!!!

"sucker" for a Blacktail...hmm, I've been called worse...and I do resemble that remark a little....

whats the web site

http://www.blacktailbows.com/

Nice opening page!

Last try.

Have two backtails, a one peice and a takedown with 2sets of limbs. While more bows might be nice these will most likely be my go to recurves until I can't shot them anymore.

Here's mine, great shooter for my woodies. Bacote and cocobolo, 62" 46#@28".

Norm Johnson builds a bow that is not only appealing to the eyes, but it shoots at least as good as it looks. As someone has already said, it has one of the most repeatable grips that is on the market. You don't have to "think" how to take hold of it when you are shooting......it puts your hand in the exact same position with nothing more than drawing the bow to anchor. I have owned my "Snakebit" since April 1st of this year. I put my name back on his list exactly 3 days after receiving my first Blacktail bow.

He is indeed a pleasure to work with in getting "what you want" in a bow, as well as something that is drop dead gorgeous to look at. The wait for mine was almost 15 months to the day from when I placed the order and made my deposit. His craftsmanship is without a doubt as fine as you will ever have the opportunity to hold in your hands. The wait really isn't bad, until you get within the last month or so.........then the anticipation is almost unbearable. This time I ordered an Elite VL with two sets of limbs. I'm not absolutely positive of my choice of woods for this one, but have a few "possibilities" in mind.

I had the opportunity to shoot a friends one-piece Blacktail a couple months ago and was VERY HAPPY with how it shot for me. While being physically "lighter" in weight, it was still as solid and consistant as my three-piece Snakebit. The one-piece and three-piece were both very stable and nod towards the target very well.......once again both had very repeatable grips and a real pleasure to shoot in every way. I will own a one-piece someday soon but not before I have one with two different weights of limbs. The choice between the two would be up to the individual, but performance wise there isn't any difference at all.

Here is a slide-show of my "Dream Bow".......which became a reality on April Fools Day......this year.

Winter Hawk

You sound like me Winter Hawk! I put in an order for another soon after I received a one-piece Snakebit. Love the one piece. I figured with the Snakebit it wouldn't be hunted, just used for shoots and practice, so I got it in a one-piece. Glad everyone has different likes and dislikes. I have bought some fine "used" Blacktails!

Mine's an older one before Norm started making the Snakebit, but it is a really sweet shooting bow. It's a takedown & I think they are a very nice bow. it's quiet, forgiving, & relatively fast. Frank

I love mine but I am selling it, too many bows and too many bills coming in.....RH Blacktail elite 56lbs @ 28"; 62" AMO...It smokes an arrow and is smooth, quiet and beautiful...$650 TYD lower 48

My onepiece was a real sweet shooting bow...I liked it very much. I gave it to my nephew when he decided to try trad gear and hang up the wheels. I still shoot it from time to time when he and I get together along with his dad to practice.

I bought a 1-piece Blacktail Elite VL this past March. I was lucky. I called Norm to place my order and it turns out a lefty's bow had just been finished and he couldn't pay for it. Except it was a 62" instead of a 60" it was exactly what I was wanting: Cocobolo with myrtle flared riser and same combo in the limbs. Beautiful myrtle accents in the riser, limbs, and the limb tips. The grip is checkered in a fish scale pattern which feels terrific. The grip is extremely comfortable. My bow is 45# at 25.5". My only complaint with the bow is it doesn't quiet down in the same way as my other bows (whiskers, leaches or Bowjax - or combination of these).

Like Winterhawk, I ordered a Snakebit within days of receiving this 1-piece.

I don't think my Blacktail is as smooth drawing as the Pittsley Predator and neither of these bows is my 1st choice in bows these days. I don't even own my 1st choice in bows but come April, God willing, I WILL own a Silvertip. However, if you want what I think is the most beautiful bow on the market, that feels great, and shoots well, you can't go wrong with a Blacktail. If it were me though, I'd go for the slightly heavier TD model and would even order it in heavy woods: Ebony & cocobolo.

Here's a picture or two of my 1-piece.

You'll nothing better in my opinion

If anyone out there in our archery world has a one piece blackmail for sale please respond. My numbers are 50_53# @ 28 draw. Let's make a deal!!!

I bought this bow and sold it within the last year...I sold it because I got a chance to buy something else I wanted to try that was in the same price range and because someone else had as much respect for Norm's work as I do...one thing to consider is that the Snakebit is, because of the materials used, a physically heavy bow (that one weighs right on 3 pounds)...when I first got it the bursitis in my left shoulder would only let me lift it for a couple of shots...there was nothing wrong with any of the last three of my favourite bows that I sold or traded, it just seemed like it was time for them to move on...if I was a one bow kind of person I would have kept any one of the three...my current mantra is "so many bows, and so little time"

DDave

[URL=http://s849.photobucket.com/user/damascusdave_2009/media/P82 32547-Edited.jpg.html] [IMG]http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab54/damascusdave_2009/P8 232547-Edited.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Oops...I never could figure out how to post pictures from Photobucket here...just recognize that is is very special Snakebit with 2 sets of limbs with Koa veneers that Norm built in 2004...there are several pictures of it around from when I owned it or when Paul Shirek, who it was made for, owned it...let's just say that bow is too nice to not be shared with others although I have a feeling it may now have found a long term home again

DDave

I had a Blacktail, and regrets for trading it. Bow shot fine in my hands.

Dave...you can put money on it! It has a permanent home....Tom.

TTT

I have 1 for sale on the classifieds 64" T/D half the price of new ( she's a beaut clark)

I am bumping this up as I got "Winterhawks" former Snakebit for sale that I aquired a few years ago.Some folks want to see the slideshow Don Posted of the bow that are interested in it. Cheers >>>---->

Well yes, you can start with a used one, but unless you are planning on having a "back up" you'll just be spending 1/2 again as much for the bow you really want. And if you can find a used one, you'll be getting the bow somebody else wanted, not the one you wanted.

I don't own one, but I have shot them. They are nice to shoot, very dead in the hand. And I think you'll have trouble finding one that has more artistry.

I never bought one in part because of the long wait time, though I understand that he has corrected that problem now. My second reason is that they are kind of pricy, for my taste, but that is a personal matter.

Whatever you decide, you'll enjoy a nice bow.

TBB

I have a decent collection of bows from various makers, My Blacktail is the most beautiful sweet shooting bow I own and YES sometimes I just sit and stare at it LOL. Its an heirloom bow that combines abosolute drop dead beauty with phenomenal accuracy and smooth shooting. To top it all of you get to deal with one of the nicest guys in the industry to boot.

Warped

I had to sell my Blacktail...it was so dang pretty I'd just sit in my stand and admire it all day, and pay no attention to my surroundings...messed up a lot of opportunities on some nice deer doing that, but it was a nice distraction while it lasted.

Snag - did you order your 3-piece Blacktail? Or did it happen to belong to Hogdancer (Thomas Burns) at one time. I remember we got ours at almost the same time, and that looks a lot like it. Shedua and Wenge??

They are one of the prettiest bows out there, Norm is an artist! I sold mine, it didn't perform as well as my Black Widows or my Palmer but it was nice to look at and had a great grip.

I am glad you are liking the bow Tom...as you may recall my plan was to use the money from the sale of that bow to pay for a Wolfer...well I bought a number of things with that money and I am still short of having paid for the Wolfer (not by much)...old boys and our toys are just as bad as young boys and their toys

DDave

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